Experienced Occupational Therapist – Cardiac Rehabilitation with certificate of sponsorship to the UK
Visa Note
This employer offers a certificate of sponsorship for international candidates who meet the eligibility requirements. However, applicants must verify their visa/work permit eligibility directly with the employer. The certificate of sponsorship is subject to meeting UK Visas and Immigration requirements, including English language proficiency and professional registration.
Job Overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Occupational Therapist to join our Cardiac Rehabilitation Team in Carmarthenshire. This is a unique chance to work within the NHS and make a significant impact on patients recovering from cardiovascular diseases. The successful candidate will help deliver services closer to home in line with the Health Board’s strategy ‘A Healthier Mid and West Wales: Our Future Generations Living Well’.
Cardiac Rehabilitation aims to deliver an effective, efficient, and sustainable service by shifting the current focus on hospital-based care to services more readily available in local communities. This role offers an excellent opportunity to test, trial, and build upon existing clinical and leadership skills within this specialized clinical area.
We’re seeking to appoint a proactive, motivated, and compassionate individual with demonstrable experience, whose values are aligned to those of Hywel Dda University Health Board. The successful candidate will join a dedicated team committed to putting people at the heart of what we do, working together to be the best we can, and striving to develop and deliver better services.
Company Information
Hywel Dda University Health Board plans and provides NHS healthcare services for people living in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, and bordering counties. We have over 13,000 staff who together provide primary, community, in-hospital, mental health, and learning disabilities services.
We work in partnership with three local authorities, as well as public, private, and third sector colleagues, including our valued team of volunteers. Our services are provided across numerous locations including four main hospitals, five community hospitals, two integrated care centres, 47 general practices, and numerous mental health and learning disabilities services.
The Health Board is committed to supporting its staff to fully embrace bilingualism, thereby enhancing patient and service user experiences. In our commitment to increase the number of staff who can communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we welcome applications from Welsh speakers.
Job Details
Company: Hywel Dda University Health Board
Location: Prince Philip Hospital or Glangwili Hospital, Carmarthenshire
Salary: £39,263 to £47,280 per annum pro rata
Contract Type: Permanent, Part-time
Working Pattern: Part-time
Reference Number: 100-AHP010-0226
Date Posted: 09 February 2026
Closing Date: 04 March 2026
Band: 6
Pay Scheme: Agenda for Change
Key Responsibilities
The successful candidate will operate as an autonomous practitioner with a varied and often complex caseload, using specialist knowledge of occupational therapy and the functional impact of health conditions to select, plan, modify, carry out, and evaluate assessments and interventions. Practice will be adapted based on client’s circumstances and presentation.
You will carry out group education on fatigue, stress, and anxiety management with individuals both virtually and in-person. The ability to effectively work as part of a multidisciplinary team is essential to provide rehabilitation and recovery focused on the individual patient’s needs.
The role involves working independently or alongside team members to plan, organize, and deliver therapeutic interventions with individuals or groups across various settings including hospitals, patients’ homes, educational establishments, and community and leisure facilities.
You will advise, educate, and demonstrate specific techniques and strategies to individuals and their families or carers to support ongoing management of recovery. Clinical work will be delegated to others within the team, such as Support Workers and students, following relevant policies and guidelines.
Regular supervision of Occupational Therapy students on practice placements will be required. The post holder will have current HCPC registration and be expected to travel within Carmarthenshire and at times within the wider Hywel Dda University Health Board area.
Person Specification
Essential Qualifications
Degree in Occupational Therapy – A recognized qualification in occupational therapy is essential for this role.
Current HCPC Registration – Applicants must hold current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.
Knowledge of health and social care legislation – Understanding of relevant current legislation applicable to the role is required.
Microsoft Office skills – Knowledge and application of Microsoft Office software is essential for documentation and reporting purposes.
Understanding of multidisciplinary roles – Knowledge of the roles of other staff groups in health and social care is required.
Rehabilitation interventions knowledge – Knowledge of a range of rehabilitation interventions across all therapies is essential.
Clinical governance understanding – Understanding and application of clinical governance, including research and audit methodology, is required.
Outcome measures knowledge – Understanding and application of relevant outcome measures to demonstrate effectiveness is essential.
Desirable Qualifications
Knowledge of cross-care services – Knowledge of other services that link across primary, secondary, and intermediate care is desirable.
Therapeutic equipment knowledge – Working knowledge of therapeutic equipment is advantageous.
Health Board priorities – Knowledge of Health Board priorities is desirable.
Accredited Practice Educator – Accreditation as a Practice Educator is desirable.
Accredited Agored Assessor – Accreditation as an Agored Assessor is desirable.
Welsh language skills – The ability to communicate in Welsh (Level 1) is desirable for this post.
Essential Experience
Significant postgraduate experience – Extensive experience working as an occupational therapist across various settings and conditions is essential.
Complex caseload management – Experience in managing a complex and varied caseload is required.
Independent working – Experience working independently with indirect or arms-length supervision is essential.
Staff delegation and supervision – Experience in delegating and supervising staff is required.
Emotional situations – Experience coping independently with distressing or emotional situations in challenging work environments is essential.
Teamwork – Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary team is required.
Service development – Experience contributing to service development and implementing service changes is essential.
Carer and family involvement – Direct experience involving carers and families in the therapeutic process is required.
Self-development – Experience in self-development and application of learning is essential.
Adapted techniques – Experience using adapted techniques for improving patient outcomes is required.
Desirable Experience
Group work experience – Experience of working with groups is desirable.
Community setting experience – Experience working in a community setting is advantageous.
Virtual communication – Experience using virtual communication platforms for delivering services is desirable.
Cardiac rehabilitation experience – Experience in the same clinical area as the post being applied for is desirable.
About the Role
When an individual suffers from cardiovascular disease, it may have a significant impact on their physical and psychological health. Patients with cardiovascular disease often experience fatigue, shortness of breath, depression, anxiety, memory and concentration problems, and difficulty participating in everyday activities. This is a serious and often emotionally distressing condition that can result in functional limitations.
This post offers an excellent opportunity to test, trial, and/or build upon existing clinical and leadership skills within this clinical specialty. Training, role orientation, and ongoing support will be provided. The successful candidate will have access to regular clinical and managerial supervision to ensure professional development.
There are opportunities for pool cars and mileage expenses when traveling within the region. The successful candidate will be expected to travel within Carmarthenshire and at times within the wider Hywel Dda University Health Board area to provide services to patients in various locations.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; however, English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply. If you do not meet the Welsh Language requirements specified, the Health Board offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal desirable requirements during the course of your employment.
Interviews for this position will be held on 13 March 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be notified of their interview status in due course.
Certificate of Sponsorship Information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Hywel Dda University Health Board is able to offer a certificate of sponsorship to eligible candidates who meet the required criteria.
From 6 April 2017, Skilled Worker applicants applying for entry clearance into the UK have been required to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration to be eligible for this position. For further information regarding professional registration requirements, please see the NHS Careers website. The certificate of sponsorship will be subject to verification of all eligibility criteria being met.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. As such, it will be necessary for a submission to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. All successful applicants will be required to undergo this check before commencing employment.
How to Apply
Apply Instructions: Apply via NHS Jobs website
Application Checklist for International Applicants
- Verify your eligibility for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship with UK Visas and Immigration
- Ensure you have current HCPC registration or eligibility to obtain it
- Gather required documents including your CV, cover letter, and proof of qualifications
- Prepare to provide criminal record certificates from any country where you have resided for 12+ months in the past 10 years
- Prepare evidence of English language proficiency if required
- Contact the employer to confirm visa sponsorship process and timeline
- Complete the application through the NHS Jobs website before the closing date
Contact Information
For questions about the job, contact:
Team Lead Cardiac Rehabilitation: Leanne Owen
Email: leanne.owen3@wales.nhs.uk
Phone: 01554783619
Supporting Documents
The following supporting documents are available for download:
- Occupational Health Functional Requirements Form (DOCX, 100 KB)
- Job Description and Person Specification (PDF, 196 KB)
These documents provide detailed information about the role requirements, essential criteria, and the occupational health requirements for this position.
Equal Opportunities
Hywel Dda University Health Board is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications.
Privacy Notice
For information about how your personal data will be processed during the recruitment process, please refer to Hywel Dda University Health Board’s privacy notice available at: https://nwssp.nhs.wales/ourservices/employment-services/employment-services-documents/service-privacy-notices-gdpr/nwssp-recruitment-services-privacy-notice/
Further Information
For more information about Hywel Dda University Health Board and our services, please visit our website at https://hduhb.nhs.wales/. Here you will find information about our values, strategic objectives, and the wide range of career opportunities available within our organization.
We encourage all interested candidates to apply for this rewarding opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of cardiac patients in Wales. The successful candidate will join a dedicated team of healthcare professionals committed to providing high-quality, patient-centered care.